I Chronicles 12:1

Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag,.... Given him by Achish to live in, when he fled from Saul, Sa1 27:6. while he yet kept himself close, because of Saul the son of Kish; when he was an exile from his own country, and obliged to live retired in a foreign one, because of Saul's persecution of him, and seeking to take away his life: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war; not against Saul, with whom David had none, but with the Amalekites, and others, Sa1 27:8.

We have here an account of those that appeared and acted as David's friends, upon the death of Saul, to bring about the revolution. All the forces he had, while he was persecuted, was but 600 men, who served for his guards; but, when the time had come that he must begin to act offensively, Providence brought in more to his assistance. Even while he kept himself close, because of Saul (Ch1 12:1), while he did not appear, to invite or encourage his friends and well-wishers to come in to him (not foreseeing that the death of Saul was so near), God was inclining and preparing them to come over to him with seasonable succours. Those that trust God to do his work for them in his own way and time shall find his providence outdoing all their forecast and contrivance. The war was God's, and he found out helpers of the war, whose forwardness to act for the man God designed for the government is here recorded to their honour. I. Some, even of Saul's brethren, of the tribe of Benjamin, and a-kin to him, came over to David, Ch1 12:2. What moved them to it we are not told. Probably a generous indignation at the base treatment which Saul, one of their tribe, gave him, animated them to appear the more vigorously for him, that the guilt and reproach of it might not lie upon them. These Benjamites are described to be men of great dexterity, that were trained up in shooting and slinging, and used both hands alike - ingenious active men; a few of these might do David a great deal of service. Several of the leading men of them are here named. See Jdg 20:16. II. Some of the tribe of Gad, though seated on the other side Jordan, had such a conviction of David's title to the government, and fitness for it, that they separated themselves from their brethren (a laudable separation it was) to go t…

12:1-22 Support for making David king did not begin with Saul’s demise. When Saul was king and David was a fugitive, warriors went to David and eventually became a vast camp of various tribes, representing all of Israel. Even relatives of Saul deserted to David and supported him as king (12:2). Of course, David was prudent about such deserters (12:17), making sure they were not traitors who would betray him to Saul. Before David’s actual anointing took place at Hebron, the will of the people reflected the will of God that David should become king.